Shake-ups to routine open door to possibilities

Let’s face it. We are all creatures of habit.

Today is Feb. 1. Although it’s still sometimes a challenge to remember to write 2018, I had barely gotten used to dating things for January and now it’s already the second month of the new year.

But that’s only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Think about your everyday habits.

For example, when get dressed in the morning, do you always follow the same pattern in how things get put on? Or when you brush your teeth do you always do the same area first and then progress to a different area?

What about when you visit the grocery store? I know my trips always seem to start at the deli section, work my way through the bakery and produce areas, skirt the outer perimeter and then hit the inner aisles to pick up specific items.

And have you ever noticed that if you are seated somewhere — even without assigned seats — such as at a meeting or on a bus, that you will automatically return to the place you first sat down if you have to get up for any reason?

Just the other day, I was heading out with my parents to run an errand and even though it has been years since I was a child and have been driving myself for decades, I automatically headed to “my place” in the back seat. It didn’t matter that my sister wasn’t there occupying the seat on the other side of the car or that nobody else was going to occupy that space.

Our work habits also fall into comfortable routines. If your days are anything like mine, you likely start each day looking over emails that arrived overnight and taking care of pressing matters before delving into the next project. There’s also specific tasks that must be accomplished each day before I can leave the office.

Making major changes can be difficult. But we are tough; we can persevere. And sometimes they are good thing.

Consider family dynamics. Getting married is a big change, as is adjusting your life and habits to accommodate a spouse. Yet, I can’t imagine what my life would be like without my husband. Or any other family member, including my four-legged baby.

The same is true when moving to a new home. Packing is a pain and toting boxes for hours upon hours is not easy. But waking up in a fresh new space, where the possibilities are exciting and endless is a joy.

Today, as I face another change, launching a new website for the Boulder City Review, I welcome the shake-up to my routine. Granted, it will take awhile to adjust to the new ebb and flow of things in my everyday work patterns, but I’m also confident that in no time at all it will be just as customary as dating everything for the next 11 months 2018.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.